Toms River Downtown Redevelopment Plan Goes Before Planners

Toms River NJ

15 December, 2021

2:13 PM

Description

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The Toms River Planning Board is set to hear the details of the first phase of the proposal for the downtown waterfront redevelopment area — including 285 apartments and two towers reaching 112 feet — that has been the focus of debate for several months. The planning board meeting is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Toms River Town Hall, 33 Washington St. Meridia Toms River received approval from the Toms River Township Council in October to be the developer of the property at West Water Street and Irons Street, over the objections of Councilmen Terrance Turnbach and Daniel Rodrick. The proposal set to go before the planning board includes mixed-use building with about 17,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, a parking deck on the first two stories and two eight-story towers about 100 feet apart, according to the public notice for the hearing, "perpendicular to the Toms River where it bends to the north before splitting to surround Huddy Park." There would be 285 residential rental apartments, and the commercial space would include a restaurant, coffee shop, fitness center, co-workspace, pet day-care and a wash-press-fold service. The residential units would be 44 studio units, 141 one-bedroom, 56 two-bedrooms, 1 three bedroom, 22 two-bedroom affordable, and 21 three-bedroom affordable units. Meridia is seeking several waivers and variances, including one for the minimum building height of 45 feet at the part facing Water Street; the proposal is for a 25-foot building height there. "No relief is required for maximum building height (100 feet/8 residential stories), as the redevelopment agreement provided for a bonus based on the development and maintenance of a public park along the riverfront," Meridia's information says. It also is seeking a variance from the maximum building coverage. The redevelopment plan allows a maximum building coverage of 50 percent, excluding land area devoted to public park or open space. The proposal is for 50.2 percent building coverage, but most of the footprint is devoted to parking. Setback variances and design waivers also are being sought, according to the public notice. Among the design waiver requests is one to remove six trees on the site so the entire site can be regrading to elevate the base of the building, which is in a flood zone, and for "a transition to the water's edge along the site frontage." "As a result of input from the NJDEP as part of the CAFRA permit, the failed bulkhead along Lot 5.01, which was once the parking for the Red Carpet Inn, will be replaced, but the portion of the riverbank that was not bulkheaded will be stabilized with a 'living shoreline'," the public notice said. That will be a combination of rip-rap stone and planted slopes in terraces to transition to two boardwalks, one a waterfront promenade and the other leading to a large patio with outdoor seating near the coffee shop, restaurant, fitness center and co-work space. The setback requests include one of 4.1 on Water Street "in order to align with the other buildings fronting Water Street;" the redevelopment plan requires 15 feet. Meridia also is seeking a variance from the requirement that buildings be "stepped back by 10 feet" above heights of 40 feet, 80 feet and 120 feet respectively. "The intent was to temper the impact of height as viewed from the abutting public sidewalk by requiring greater setbacks for higher portions of the building. In the subject project, the portion of the building (north tower) above 80 feet in height is about 80 feet from Water Street and 20 feet from Irons Street and Herflicker Boulevard at the closest point," the notice said. Meridia's application says the narrow façade of both towers makes up for the difference on Irons and Herflicker, and the widest part is facing and 80 feet from Water Street. There are landscaping and lighting variances requested as well. Douglas Grysko of Dynamic Engineering Consultants is the engineer on the project, and the architectural plans, elevations and renderings were prepared by Christiano Pereira of CPA Architecture. Robert Shea is the attorney representing Meridia Toms River. Have a news tip? Email [email protected] Follow Toms River Patch on Facebook.